Category: Lake Conroe Area News

From his back patio in the Harbour Town community on Lake Conroe, Michael Hallett has a direct view of “Bird Island.” 
The piece of land that rises up from Lake Conroe off the Seven Coves and Harbour Town neighborhoods is a roosting spot for a variety of native and migratory birds such as white “cattle” egrets, black cormorants, gray herons, ducks and the Anhinga, a black bird known more commonly as “water turkeys.” 
Hallett’s favorite to watch for is the migratory American White Pelican, a bird that is protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. He said they come around February and usually stay through May. At times, he’s seen as many as 150 pelicans roosting there. 
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Bird Island’s future
His bird’s eye view of the island also brings concerns about its future and the future of the birds that inhabit it. For the 17 years he’s had waterfront property, he’s watched Bird Island get smaller and smaller due to erosion. 
“If we don’t do anything about it that will be nothing but a giant sandbar over time and the birds will be gone,” he said. “That will be hard to watch this becoming just a sandbar and then we’ll see nothing but boats out here all the time beaching on the sandbar.” 
He estimates the original size of Bird Island was at least 2 acres going back to the 1970s. He believes the island is now less than a quarter of an acre. It was three times that size when he moved in 17 years ago. 
History of Lake Conroe 
According to a history of the lake from the San Jacinto River Authority, the lake was planned and constructed shortly after a record 7-year drought in the 1950s.
Through a partnership agreement, the river authority partnered with Houston and the Texas Water Development Board in 1968 to jointly construct a water supply reservoir, Lake Conroe, on the West Fork of the San Jacinto River.  
The Lake Conroe dam was completed in January 1973 and it was filled by Oct. 31, 1973, after the area received significant rain in 1973. The lake covers a 21,000-acre area.
When Lake Conroe filled, Hallett said there were shallow areas off Seven Coves that created Ayers Island and Bird Island, which rose up from the waters on the east side of the lake. 
In the early 2000s, a bulkhead border was placed around Ayers Island, a recreational spot for boaters. The San Jacinto River Authority, with the permission of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, completed the project. 
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Saving Bird Island 
Madi Bullock, has lived in Seven Coves since she was 5 years old, and fishing from the park off Kingston Coves Lane has been one of her favorite hobbies. 
The park is the closest piece of land to Bird Island, and she, too, is disheartened to see it diminish over the years. Bullock, 23, is studying to become a Texas Game Warden at Sam Houston State University, and the restoration of the island has become a cause close to her. 
“The island is mostly without human intervention, but has decreased in size due to increased boat traffic and erosion,” she said. She has particular concern for the pelican migration. 
She fears that if the island is not there, the pelicans will not stop there and change their migratory path. 
She approached Hallett about a year ago to start a community project to restore the island. Earlier this year they launched the website Bird Island Rescue. 
They would like to see a riprap border of broken  rocks around the 2015 perimeter of the island and then have fill dirt added to build the island back up. 
Moving the project forward
“I have contacted numerous organizations such as the San Jacinto River Authority and Texas Parks and Wildlife to raise concerns in hopes that they would support a habitat restoration project,” Bullock said. 
Hallett believes the project is gaining momentum in terms of community support and interest, but they would still have to work with state and government agencies for possible funding and completion of the restoration. 
In the past year, Bullock has spoken with representatives of the San Jacinto River Authority and Texas Parks and Wildlife department. 
“The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has been approached several times over the past few years requesting assistance for the Bird Island restoration initiative. The scope of the project would be significant and would require millions of dollars in funding, which TPWD is not able to provide,” according to a statement from the agency. 
Still, the duo has not ruled out fundraisers to aid restoration or possible state or federal grants. 
Earlier this month, Bullock and Hallett met with state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, on the matter and felt like it was a positive meeting. 
“There have been some recent inquiries about the status of the island, from some that want to restore it, and others with concerns about it being a safety hazard,” Creighton said. “We have discussed potential solutions with constituents and the SJRA.”
Hallett said the birds that roost on the island are protected, but the island is not. 
“If we want to protect the birds and we want to keep them here, the only way to do that is to keep the island,” he said. 

U.S. Navy veteran Haley Burgess is making life sweeter on Lake Conroe this summer. 
In August 2023, Burgess opened Montgomery County’s first location of The Paleta Bar in Waterpoint Center on Lake Conroe. The center is lakeside and filled with restaurants and shops and includes a waterfront boardwalk along the property. 
She’s also bringing popularity to the paleta, which is Spanish for “ice pops.” The rectangle-shaped popsicle that is cream or water based is a summer staple in Hispanic culture. 
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“It’s a popsicle but it’s made with fresh fruits and fresh ingredients,” she said. “Everything is fresh and made in house.” 
In addition to paletas they have Aguas Frescas, a Mexican-style drink that translates to “fruit waters” made with fresh fruits and Horchata which is described as a sweet rice milk beverage.
What to know about The Paleta Bar
The Paleta Bar was introduced by a trio of friends with restaurant experience. The first location opened in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2017. There are now 43 locations across New Mexico, California, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Utah and Nevada. 
There are six Texas location with a new store coming soon to Amarillo. The other Houston-area store is in Memorial City. The Lake Conroe location is at 15258 Texas 105 West. 
Burgess frequented the Hollywood Boulevard location when she was stationed near Los Angeles. 
She grew up in Spring and is a 2014 graduate of Klein Oak High School. After high school, she served in the U.S. Navy from 2016 to 2020. 
She was stationed roughly two hours from Los Angeles and she and her Navy friends would spend time in Los Angeles during their leaves. 
“We’d go to the one on Hollywood Boulevard all the time. Sometimes twice in one day,” she said. 
Sweet and colorful treat
At first she was intimidated by all the colors and flavors. 
She stuck with fruit and a sprinkle of Tajin a chili/lime seasoning until one day she took a bite of her friend’s watermelon paleta with chili spice. 
“Ironically I’m not big on sweets. I tried a bite and it was so good,” she said. “I had no idea of the creative things you can do with it.” 
Fast forward to her return to Texas with her family now living in the Montgomery area. 
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She was picking up take-out food one day from Akashi Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar in Waterpoint Center and saw the sign seeking a franchisee for The Paleta Bar in the center. 
“I knew what it was and I was curious,” she said. Not long after, she bought the location. “It was a really strange God-led situation.” 
Unique flavors
The paletas come in fruit flavors but also unique tastes like avocado and taro a root vegetable with a purple color. 
“The taro has an almondy, coconut type flavor,” she said. “It’s one of our best sellers but I really have to convince people to try it.” 
Despite the green color, she said the avocado paleta does not taste like guacamole. 
“It’s sweet and sugary and also a big seller,” she said. 
After picking out a paleta, the bar can be dipped in milk, dark or white chocolate or powdered in chile powder or Chamoy a sweet or spicy liquid or paste. 
Then the paleta is coated in a variety of nuts, candy, cookies or cereal. 
She said their Cookies N Cream bar is a summer favorite. For fall they’ll have pumpkin flavors and at Christmas they have peppermint flavors. 
Getting to share the different flavors and the culture behind them is one of Burgess’ passions and favorite things about the store. 
Her shop also has savory snacks like “elotes” or corn in a cup covered with Parmesan cheese, mayo and spices and their signature Dorinachos, Doritos chips with nacho cheese sauce. 
First-time visitors
The Kim family experienced their first paletas as they visited Lake Conroe recently. 
Johnny Kim, of The Woodlands, said it was their first time to the The Paleta Bar. He appreciated that it was something cool and different as they were visiting the lake. 
He chose the Oreo Lovers combo with and Oreo paleta, white chocolate and Oreo crumbs. 
Not only was it tasty he said a six-pack was a good deal for his family of eight. 
When asked if he was a fan of paletas, he said “I am now.” 

While some Texas families are making summer vacation plans outside of the state, others may be headed for a hotel resort along Lake Conroe.
With Memorial Day weekend being the unofficial kickoff for its leisure season, Margaritaville Lake Resort on Lake Conroe staff are preparing for another summer of hosting 1,000 guests a day, said Tom Faust, vice president of sales and marketing for the resort. 
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“We’ll run very high occupancy all summer,” Faust said, noting that the resort has 335 guest suites.
Faust describes the resort, which sits on 186 lakefront acres on Lake Conroe, as a “cruise ship on land,” offering five pools and a lazy river, 12 cabanas around the pool, 18 holes of golf, a spa and salon, boat rentals and sunset cruises. 
Here’s what to know about the hotel resort for those visiting this summer:
New amenities at the resort
The hotel resort has added several new activities for guests to enjoy, including magic shows and axe throwing.
Magic shows at the resort are scheduled every Saturday, performed by Atlantic City Entertainer of the Year Award Nominee Harry Maurer and a rotating series of other magicians that have been on TV, casino showrooms, comedy clubs and other major venues across the country, the resort’s website states.  
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The magic shows run through Aug. 31 and seating is first come first serve. Tickets are $60 per person for general admission and $75 for VIP. 
Axe throwing is being offered on the Palm Court, which tickets cost between $20 per person to $129 for a family pass. 
Summer discounts
People looking to book a room can get 40 percent off for dates between June 4 to Dec. 31, the website states.
The sale includes overnight accommodations in a guest suite, with a private furnished balcony or patio, and complimentary access to amenities such as the Jolly Mon Water Park, Fin City Arcade, Parrot Island Mini Golf, tennis, pickleball and the Fins Up Fitness Center. 
In order for guests to take advantage of the sale, stays must be booked by June 4. 
Day trips and passes
The resort also offers day passes and cabana rentals for people looking to take a day trip over the weekend — at a cost of $49 a ticket. 
The day pass includes access to the three-acre water park with a lazy river, splash zone, a private beach, heated-infinity pool, water slides and heated waterslide pool, and two hot tubs. The day pass also includes access to mini golf, an arcade; tennis, pickleball and basketball courts.
Attracting guests from Houston and Texas
The resort sees roughly 80 percent of guests from the Houston region, Faust said. 
“We’re very Texas oriented,” he said. “It’s a lot of people who drive in and…are surprised when they get here that they’ve got a resort that offers the amenities that we do, that’s an hour drive at most points in Houston.”
Faust also said that the resort sees a lot of guests from around Texas as well, noting that it’s less of a hassle than travelling outside of the state.
“There’s as much to do here for every person,” Faust said, noting the resort caters to a lot of families. “We do a lot of family activities. We also have couples that come and enjoy the weekend with ample opportunity to eat and drink and have a good time.”